Internal-combustion engine



Sept. 24, 1929. N. M. JOHNSON INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed March 16,1927 rugs /1 A TTORNE Y.

Patented Sept. 24, 1,929

UNITED STATES NOBLE M. JOHNSON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN INTERNAL-COMBUSTIONENGINE l Application filed March 1G, 1927. Serial No. 175,716.

This invention relates to improven'ients in internal combustion engines.

It is an object of this invention to provide an internal combustionengine wherein cam 5 plates, mounted one on each side of a main casingin which cylinders are arranged, arev rotated by pistons in thecylinders thereby doing away with the usual crank shaft; and also toorovide openings through the cam plates so tat the latter are alsoutilized as intake and exhaust valves thereby eliminating all the usualvalve gear.

IVith these and other objects in view which will be mentioned as thespecification proceeds, a preferred embodiment of the invention ishereinafter more fully described with the aid of the accompanyingdrawings, in which: l

Figure 1 illustrates a side elevation of the U invention partly insection.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a sideview of one of the cam plates. l5 Figure 4 shows a side .view of one ofthe manifolds, and

Figure 5 is a partial end view of the invention. n

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a i0 stationary main case havinga central bearing 2 therethrough for a drive shaft 3, and an annularouter portion 4. Between the bearing 2 and the outer portion 4, andsometimes integral with both, are a plurality of cylinders 5. Thesecylinders extend inwards from the outer portion 4 and are connected tothe bearings 2 by arms 6. In the inner ends of the cylinders are walls 7which may be integral with the main casing, and on the periphery of thelatter cylinder covers 8 are attached. 9 indicates spark plugs whichextend into ,the cylinders. In each cylinder is a usual piston head 10having a rod 11 extending inwardly therefrom through an opening in litswall 7. The inner ends of the rod 11 have openings therethrough to'receive pins 12l which latter project beyond the sides of the casingbetween the arms 6. Mounted on the drive shaft 3, one on each side ofthe main casing and usually of slightly CFI smaller diameter than thelatter, are two cam plates 13 and 13a. In the inner side of these camplates are cam slots 14 and 14a usually substantially elliptical whichreceive the ends of the pin 12. ldenotes slides which are preferablyprovided around the ends of the pin 12. The cam plates are keyed orotherwise secured to the drive shaft 3 as by keys 16 and-16a. Throughthe sides of the cam plates are openings 17 and 1 7 a which register inturn 60 with each of the inlet and exhaust ports 18 and4 18Lrespectively in the sides of the cylinders towards their outer ends.

The outer surfaces of the Acam plates are supported by intake andexhaust manifolds 19 65 i and 19a respectively which are annular andhave inwardly proJecting flanges 20 and 2Oa secured to the peripheryofthe casing. The manifolds also have inlet and exhaust openings 21 and21a respectively usually on their 70 outer surface, and through themports 22 and 22a are provided which are positioned opposite the ports 18and 18a through the sides of the cylinders, so that as the cam platesturn combustible mixture passes from the intake manifold 19 through theports 22, opening 17 and ports 18 into each cylinder in turn, and fromthe latter through the ports 18", opening 17"i and ports 22a into theexhaust manifold 19a. so

It is believed that the operation of the engine will be readilyunderstood from the foref` going description, which briefly is asfollows:

Combustible mixture is supplied to the intake manifold 19 through thevinlet 21. This 85 manifold has ports 22 through its inner surface, oneopposite each of the cylinder inlet ports 18 but normally vseparatedfrom the latter by the cam plate 13. The cam plate has. in theembodiment shown, one passage v17 there- 90 through so positioned thatas the plate rotates each manifold port 22 in turn is in communicationwith its cylinder port 18. The action of each piston and cylinder unitis identical to that of any other four stroke engine. Theexplosivefstroke of each piston forces its rod l1 and pin 12 downwardsthereby causing the cam plates 13 and 13a to rotate. It will be notedthat the centre lines of the cylinders are not radial with the centreline ofthe cam plates, though one side of each cylinder Wall may beradial thereto. The cam plates are so set on the drive shaft 3 thattheir openings 17 and 17 a are in such relative positions that Atheopening 17L connects each clinder exhaust port 1Sa with its exhaustmanifold port 22 on the upstroke of the pistons following their Workingstrokes.

In the foregoing the simplest form of construction is shown anddescribed, though obviously the cams may be so shaped that tWo or moreexplosive strokes Will occur during each revolution of thecam plates. Inthat case the number of openings 17 and 17a must equal the number ofWorking strokes per revolution of the cam plates.

While in the foregoing the preferred construction has been described andshown, it is understood that modifications may be made therein providedthey fall 'Within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. In an internal combustion engine', the combination ofa main casing, a shaft revolvably supportedtherein, cylinders in saidcasing having` inlet and exhaust ports therein, pistons in saidcylinders, piston rods conneeted to said pistons, plates fixed on saidshaft having cam slots therein, pins through said piston rods takinginto said cam slots Which latter are so shaped that'said plates areforced through part of a revolution on each Working stroke of eachpiston, one side of each plate bearing against one set of cylinderports, intake and exhaust connections against which the sides of saidplates remote from said cylinders bear, and said plates having passagestherethrough by Which each cylinder inlet or exhaust port is connectedto each of the inlet and exhaust connections in turn as said platesturn.

2. In an internal combustion engine, the combination' of la main casing,a shaft rotatably mounted'therein, cylinders substantially radiallyarranged in said casing, pistons in said cylinders, piston rodsconnected to said pistons plates fixed-on said shaft havingsubstantially elliptical .i cam slots therein, pins through'the innerends of said piston rods extending'into said cam slots so that themovement of said 4'pistons is adapted to rotate said plates, an annularintake manifold and an annular exhaust manifold supported by saidcasing, said cylinders having inlet and exhaust ports therein,said'manifolds having openings, and 'said plates having' passagestherethrough adapted to'conneet each cylinder inletport and eachcylinder exhaust port in turn 4vvith an intake or exhaust manifoldopening.

lregister with `inlet and exhaust ports in said manifolds and saidcylinders, and said cam members each having a cam groove on adjacentfaces of the cam members and adapted to cooperate with pins carried bysaid pistons for driving said shaft.

. NOBLE M. JOHNSON.

